French Government Publishes Procedure for Claiming Property Seized by Nazis

Claims for the return of property stolen or confiscated by the Nazis during the occupation of France must be filed within the next three months, it was announced this week-end in the Official Gazette.

In the event that the original owner of the property is dead his legal heirs or successors must file application to annul the property transfer by April 1, 1951, or within six months after the original owner is officially declared dead, whichever is later. The procedure was contained in an amendment to an act of 1945 dealing with the annulment of “acts of spoilation” committed by the Nazis or their collaborators during the occupation.